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Give your entrance a boost with these interesting and architectural plants
Creating a beautiful front garden doesn’t mean relying on flowers that bloom for only a few weeks. The right planting can frame your front door, soften hard landscaping and give your home a polished, welcoming entrance throughout the year – while boosting its kerb appeal.
‘One of the simplest ways to create a front garden that looks good year-round is to include evergreen plants that provide colour, structure and texture long after summer flowers have faded,’ says Jane Fairlie, horticulturist for Redrow.
From elegant topiary to architectural succulents, these evergreen plants will provide lasting interest and help your front garden look good in every season.
A simple way to add movement and texture to a front garden, ornamental grasses can provide interest throughout the seasons.
‘This is due to the striking colours of the foliage, as well as the soft texture of the grass, which can provide contrast against rigid paving,’ explains Richard Barker, horticultural expert and commercial director of LBS Horticulture. ‘It is also a low-effort plant, is largely resistant to pests and diseases, and will hold its shape through winter until being cut back in spring.’
For the best results, choose a variety suited to the size of your front garden and plant it in a sunny, open position where possible.
If you want to add structure, a conifer can provide a striking focal point that looks good throughout the year.
‘Sculptural conifers can provide strong year-round form and architectural interest, particularly in contemporary design schemes,’ explains Ryan Wenham, designer at Larsen Architecture. ‘They’re generally low-maintenance but need careful positioning to avoid outgrowing the space you put them in.’
If growing unusual conifers, they should be placed somewhere sunny that does not become waterlogged to prevent root rot.
For a chic, polished entrance, topiary can instantly give a front garden a more sophisticated feel.
‘Italian-style topiary can give your front door year-round kerb appeal as the leaves will not drop off the plant in winter, and clipping the plant into a symmetrical shape can make your home's entrance look more high-end,’ Richard explains.
When growing topiary, be sure to choose a plant that is dense, such as boxwood or privet. In order to keep the topiary shape, the plant will need to be pruned several times during its growing season.
With its large evergreen leaves and architectural shape, fatsia can make an impressive feature beside a front door – particularly in shade.
As well as having evergreen foliage, fatsia adds to kerb appeal as it produces clusters of large flowers, and these will then turn into berries during colder months. ‘It is a great plant to have by the front door as it can handle most types of soil – but if growing a variegated variety, it will need sun,' says Richard.
Fatsia prefers partial shade and fertile, moist soil – although it can tolerate deeper shade and some dry conditions once established.
Providing more than just evergreen foliage, photinia has changing leaf colours that will add seasonal interest to a front garden.
‘These shift from green to red or bronze,’ Richard explains. ‘The plant can also grow to be thick and bushy, so it can provide privacy from the street, and if left unclipped, can provide clusters of flowers in spring.’
This is relatively low maintenance once established, but newly planted specimens should be watered regularly.
Read more: 7 plants that block out neighbours better than a fence
Tree ferns can make a particularly striking addition to a shady front entrance, thanks to their large, umbrella-like fronds.
‘I find their architectural fronds bring a strong, almost sculptural quality to sheltered entrances and courtyards,’ says Ryan. ‘While they are beautiful, it’s worth noting they prefer shade, moisture and protection from harsh winds and frost.’
Tree ferns need to be planted in a humid, shady space, so they are best for front doors that are not in direct sunlight.
Wow guests and potential homebuyers with an entrance that looks good and smells wonderful with the help of choisya ternata.
‘The plant produces clusters of star-shaped, sweet-smelling flowers in spring, offering a sweet scent as you walk through your front door – and can produce even more flushes of flowers in summer or autumn if trimmed often,’ explains Richard.
Plant choisya in full sun or light shade in well-drained soil, ideally in a sheltered position. An annual mulch can also help retain moisture.
Clipped buxus balls or pyramids can frame a front door beautifully – particularly when positioned symmetrically on either side.
‘They can be planted directly into borders around the front door or in containers, with the leaves staying glossy and green all year round,’ says Richard. ‘To keep the spherical or pyramid shape of the plants, they will need to be clipped two to three times a year.’
Keep an eye out for any signs of box blight or box tree caterpillar, and remove affected foliage promptly if problems appear.
Those creating a more contemporary look can use succulents, including hens and chicks (Sempervivum), to provide strong shapes and architectural interest around a front door.
‘They produce sword-like leaves or have symmetrical rosettes of leaves, which can add architectural interest and complement brickwork,’ says Richard. ‘The spikiness of the foliage also stands out next to lawns, pathways and gravel, and the plant does not drop leaves so it keeps the entryway of your home tidy.’
The most important thing to remember with succulents is to avoid overwatering. Plant them in free-draining soil and choose a sunny position for varieties that need plenty of light.
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